Chris Pick
Songs In Black & White
© 2008 Pick Music (BMI) (842841092413) (format: CD-R)
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Acoustic coffee-house, Christian style.
tracks
- 1 Bread
- 2 Yes Virginia
- 3 Lancaster
- 4 If I Only Had The Words
- 5 Our First Dance
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notes
“Songs In Black & White” is Pick’s third studio project. Produced by Williamsport, PA-based artist Jerry Lynn, this 5-song EP was released in March 2008 and features new songs about Pick’s marriage and faith.
The project is a first with producer Jerry Lynn, and the production is much different from previous Pick projects. “Jerry and I knew each other since high school and had played in symphonies together into our college years,” explains Pick. An artist himself, Jerry is well-trained in classical and jazz. And as a producer, he has a great ear for tonality!
“We talked about recording together in late 2006. After hearing some of my demos over the years, he became highly motivated to produce these songs. We met at many locations and at odd times, swapped CDs for inspirational purposes, starting composing together, then began to record. He told me up front that there were things he wouldn’t do as a producer – that he didn’t want to fake anything. He wanted everything to sound real and good, which I admired.”
Lynn’s production style for the CD was in keeping the songs simple and unadorned as possible. No metronome was used on any of the songs. And each recording was transferred and mixed to analog tape for an “old school” sound.
“Jerry would always say, ‘Let the listeners hear Chris Pick,’” adds Pick. “He wanted the songs to sound genuine and authentic…pressing to full takes of each song until we got it right. The sound you hear on the CD is my sound. It’s stripped-down and raw. It’s what listeners would hear if they saw me perform.
“Jerry would also encourage me to play most of the instruments myself. We did bring in one session musician on this project, guitarist Jerre Mohler for the song “Lancaster” – a dynamic guitarist. I liked Jerre, not just because he was a Beatle fan like myself, but because he played beautifully. He’s a natural musician.”
The original idea was a full-production project with strings, electric guitars, drums, etc. Pick not only wrote the songs for the project but began arranging orchestral parts with Lynn for some of the tracks. A few months into the project, Lynn decided to switch gears, put this project on hold, and release a 5-song EP as a prelude to what was to come.
Pick’s wife Michelle was not only the inspiration for many of the songs but saw the vision of this project long before Chris and Jerry began to record. “I credit my wife Michelle for making this new project happen,” notes Pick. “She would always tell me, ‘Someday you’re going to do another CD.’ And it happened thanks to Michelle’s prayers and Jerry’s hard work.”
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ABOUT THE SONGS:
“Bread” is a wake-up song about mission work in America. It was the first song Lynn and Pick began in the studio, and it was the last track finished for the project. “It was tricky to pull off without a metronome,” notes Pick. “We spent a long time getting it to sound right – getting it to sound the way we heard it in our head.”
The production-style is similar to that heard on Neil Diamond’s 2005 CD release “12 Songs,” produced by Rick Rubin and darkened to the sound of Johnny Cash’s remake of Trent Reznor’s “Hurt.” The song features Pick on all instrumentation: acoustic guitar, keyboard, percussion, and vocal.
“Yes Virginia” was the first radio release for the project, released in April 2007. “We did two versions of this song,” notes Pick. “The first being the radio version (featured on Pick’s MYSPACE page http://www.myspace.com/pickmusic), featuring a different vocal mike and performance. The second, used on the project, sounding a bit darker and more fit for the project.
“I like this song because it is three-fold: It was written as a song of hope for the Virginia Tech tragedy. But the title gives it a holiday touch in connection to the famous “Yes Virginia, There is a Santa Claus” editorial. However, to some, the song is about a young girl named Virginia who was hurt by a tragedy in life, is questioning God, and is in need of a ray of hope to light the way.
“The song was written fast. I couldn’t sleep the night of the Virginia Tech shooting, and I wrote the song late that night. I played it for my wife the next day, and Jerry and I recorded it that Friday. It became a last-minute addition.”
“Lancaster,” the second radio release, was written about Pick’s engagement to his wife Michelle in 2005 and features Jerre Mohler on acoustic guitar. The piano and vocal, along with Mohler’s playing, were all done in one take.
Michelle and I taught in a Christian school. In late 2004, we went to Lancaster, Pennsylvania with the staff for a teacher convention held at the Lancaster Host,” explains Pick. “As the story goes, we started talking about our relationship over dinner, took a walk under the stars, holiday music was playing at one of the outlets where we walked, everything was lit up and beautiful, and right there I proposed. Lancaster, Pennsylvania will always be a special place in our hearts, and I wanted to put that to music.”
“If I Only Had The Words” is a simple ballad originally recorded as an engagement gift for Pick’s wife. “I changed the lyrics around and turned it into a surprise anniversary gift for Michelle,” notes Pick. “She heard it for the first time live in the studio as we recorded it.”
The song features Pick on piano and vocals with no additional instrumentation. “I’ve always been intrigued by Billy Joel’s simple piano/vocal performances during his early ‘piano bar’ days,” Pick explains. “Listeners got a taste of Joel’s music performed live and raw – the way he was meant to sound. This style became the inspiration behind the production of my song. When listeners hear it, they hear me – live and raw.”
The EP closes with “Our First Dance,” co-written with Lynn. The song became the third radio single for the project.
“Jerry, a violin virtuoso, had this song, originally entitled ‘Falling Down’ – a violin piece with a light piano accompaniment,” Pick explains. “He asked if I would listen and consider writing words to it. I have written music to words before but never words to music. We did it in one vocal take. It came out great in the end and added a nice closer to the project.”
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Congratulations on GrIndie Award
author: RadioIndy.comRadioIndy is proud to present Chris Pick a GrIndie Award for their CD "Songs In Black & White." A GrIndie Award is RadioIndy's stamp of approval that this CD is an excellent quality CD. Please join us in congratulating this artist on this accomplishment.
Heart-Felt, Sincere Pop EP!
author: RadioIndy.com“Songs in Black & White” by Chris Pick is an inspiring contemporary/pop album, demonstrating a gentle simplicity that awakens the heart. Songs like “Yes Virginia” give deep insight into the amount of heart and passion that went into each of these songs. This uplifting track brings hope in light of tragedy using an emotion-laden piano progression, well-written poetic lyrics, and a tear-inducing vocal performance. In general, Chris’s compositions reflect a soft, gentle quality and are mostly piano-driven. His melodies and vocal tone find their way straight to the soul. Moreover, “Our First Dance” delivers a memorable tribute to the beauty of love, and is complimented by the gracious sounds of the violin. With production that allows Chris' voice and passion to take the center stage, this CD will be worthwhile for any fan of positive adult contemporary/pop music.